'Man caught hiding behind bin with knife,' as gardai investigate a disturbance at a house in west Dublin

Andrew Phelan
– 16 October 2015 03:00 AM

GARDAI investigating a disturbance at a house in west Dublin found a man holding a kitchen knife hiding behind a bin in the garden, a court heard.

Peter McDonagh (26) said he took the knife when a woman in the house injured herself and hid because he was drunk and did not know what to do.

Judge David McHugh ordered a pre-sentence probation report and adjourned the case.

McDonagh pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a knife, breach of the peace and public drunkenness.

Sgt Mary Doherty told Blanchardstown District Court gardai were called to reports of a disturbance at Liffey Green, Lucan, on September 6, 2015. Garden They entered the garden and saw the accused hiding behind a wheelie bin, brandishing a large kitchen knife.

The officers confronted him and told him to drop the knife. Initially, he did not drop it but eventually he complied.

He was intoxicated and "not making any sense" when they spoke to him.

He told the gardai he was not sure if anybody had been hurt.

The defendant, with an address at St Lawrence's Road, Clontarf, told Judge McHugh that the reason he had the knife was because someone else in the house had injured herself, he was there and he took the knife.

He was so intoxicated he did not know what to do and ran outside and hid.

The accused was not legally represented. The judge said he had concerns after hearing the evidence.

He said he needed independent verification of what the accused said and requested a probation report.

He said he would not proceed to sentencing yet. The judge advised Mr McDonagh that if he wished to change his plea, he was entitled to do so up to the next date.

The defendant was remanded on continuing bail. The charges against him are under the Firearms and Offensive Weapons and Public Order Acts.